I vaguely remember this first episode, and how controversial is was at the time. I remember the hell all of the networks went through trying to break through the same wall at that time. Several shows aired their "Gay" episodes, and found it to be detrimental to their ratings. Many shows tried it, and all of those shows were cancelled because the time wasn't right. Sure, the series "Soap" ran for years with Billy Crystal playing a husband who left his wife because he was gay. But, again, that was a different time. A time before AIDS/HIV was even dared whispered in public. Hell, Ronald Reagan spent 7 years of his presidency refusing to talk about it. He never once mentioned AIDS/HIV until his final year, when he knew he had nothing to lose. If fact, the Reagan administration even refused to provide much needed funding that could have helped prevent the deaths of over a million AIDS patients.
You see, I'm from the early era of the "UNSPOKEN", before "Stonewall". I've seen many a friend suffer, and either die from AIDS, or commit suicide after diagnosis. I have seen the many tides and ebbs of the "GAY PLAGUE" scare. And, I guess that I'm just one of the lucky ones who made it through the early days without infection, but not from the lack of unprotected sex though.